Thirteen dead after tourism aircraft crashes near Nazca Lines in Peru

Tragedy struck near Peru's famed Nazca Lines on Saturday when a small tourist plane crashed, resulting in the deaths of all 13 individuals aboard. The aircraft, operated by local airline Aerodiana, was on a sightseeing flight when it went down in the Pueblo Viejo area, approximately 6 km (4 miles) from Nazca city and 12 km (7 miles) from the iconic geoglyphs.

Peru's Ministry of Commerce and Tourism confirmed that the passengers comprised 11 foreign tourists and two crew members. Local authorities reported that the crash occurred around 12:55 p.m. local time as the plane was preparing for its return journey after conducting a tour of the Nazca Lines. The plane caught fire upon impact, hindering any rescue efforts, according to broadcaster RPP.

Firefighters and municipal police were dispatched to the scene to extinguish the blaze and begin initial recovery operations. The cause of the accident remains unknown, and local authorities have initiated an investigation into the incident. The Nazca Lines, a UNESCO World Heritage site, are a major tourist attraction, drawing around 100,000 visitors annually, many of whom experience the ancient geoglyphs through aerial tours.

This incident occurred just a day after flights over the Nazca Lines were temporarily suspended on Friday due to strong winds exceeding 40 kph (25 mph), which created dust storms and reduced visibility. These adverse weather conditions had previously forced other aircraft to divert their routes.